Anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis knows that earning passive income doesn’t actually involve zero effort. In most cases, you need to devote some time and energy to setting up passive income streams before they start yielding returns.
For example, many people earn passive income by monetizing their expertise. They self-publish ebooks or create online courses that share valuable information with consumers. However, before the earnings begin, they need to create products. They also need to promote them to ensure potential customers know they exist.
This sometimes discourages people from creating their own passive income streams. Part of the appeal of earning money on the side with little to no effort is the fact that busy people don’t have time to boost their earnings by taking on additional jobs or gigs. Thus, many people interested in earning passive income are so busy, they lack the time necessary to start projects.
Does this sound familiar? If so, don’t worry. If you don’t have time to write a book or create an online course, consider these options instead.
Make Small Investments Every Week
It’s important that you don’t make the mistake of assuming these passive income strategies require absolutely zero time investment. You actually can lose money if you don’t, for example, perform necessary research.
That’s crucial to remember if you choose to earn extra money by investing in the stock market. You need to thoroughly understand how safe certain investments are to avoid making poor choices. However, if you perform the necessary research, investing is a very low-effort way to earn passive income. Simply set aside a relatively small amount of money to invest every week.
Review your weekly expenses and determine where you can make cuts. For instance, instead of buying an expensive cup of coffee every morning, you can make your own at home. The money you save may not seem like much, but if you invest it every week, over time, it will add up to much more than you might have expected. On top of that, you barely have to devote any time to the process. The actual task of investing your extra money can be completed in under a minute.
Take Paid Surveys
Numerous apps and websites allow users to earn extra money by completing surveys. Although the amount of money you can make from using these apps may not be substantial, it’s still extra money you can earn with very little effort.
Consider this option if you have any free time in your day that may be used more productively. For example, if you commute to work via public transit, instead of listening to music or a podcast, use that time to make extra cash taking surveys.
Rent Out Property
If you have a house or apartment, you can rent it out to guests. Thanks to platforms such as AirBnB, creating a listing now requires very little time.
You don’t need to own an additional property to take advantage of this passive income stream. If you travel relatively often, you can rent out your home while you are away. You even can rent out a small room in your house while you are still there, as long as you are comfortable with the impact this might have on your privacy.
It’s also worth noting that companies such as Turo now allow people to rent out their cars. This is another option to consider if you want to earn extra money during periods of time when you know won’t need your vehicle.
Invest in Someone’s Business
Once again, you need to conduct research to avoid losing money instead of earning it. However, if you know any budding entrepreneurs who have strong business ideas and appear to be genuinely dedicated to bringing them to life, you might want to invest in their businesses. In exchange for providing initial funding, you can be granted partial ownership of the company, or you can agree to accept a lump sum payment once the business starts earning revenue. You won’t have to put in any effort once you’ve assessed the business idea and made your investment.
Keep these options in mind if you think you don’t have time to create a passive income stream. Even with a busy lifestyle, you can make easy extra money on the side.